Influence estimation device, influence estimation method, and program
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/JP2024/008852
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-07
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies struggle to accurately identify changes in communication paths and service quality degradation due to network failures, making it difficult to assess the impact on services quickly and effectively.
A device and method that abstracts a network into physical, logical, and service path layers, using a virtual network construction unit to simulate routing and calculate potential communication paths and service impacts based on bandwidth capacity, identifying communication interruptions and bandwidth shortages.
Enables automatic and timely assessment of service impacts from network failures, reducing the time required to take corrective actions.
Smart Images
Figure JP2024008852_02102025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Influence estimation device, influence estimation method, and program
[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to an influence estimation device, an influence estimation method, and a program.
[0002] The number of services that use communication networks is increasing every day. In today's network-dependent society, it is essential to accurately and quickly estimate and understand the impact on each service provided on the network when a network failure occurs. For example, traffic concentration or congestion can degrade communication quality. Therefore, the first step in estimating the impact on services is to understand the routes along which traffic for each service flows after a failure (hereinafter referred to as communication routes).
[0003] For example, in a network consisting of multiple layers, a technology is known that manages link information between resources from the physical layer to the logical layer for each communication protocol, thereby extracting network resources affected by a failure in a chain reaction (see Patent Document 1).
[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-65202
[0005] Existing technologies make it possible to identify a section where communication is interrupted in a higher logical layer (e.g., IP layer) from a failure location in the physical layer or a failure location in a lower logical layer. However, it is difficult to identify changes in the communication paths of each service caused by the failure. This makes it difficult to detect a degradation in service quality caused by traffic concentration at a specific location due to a change in the communication path.
[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology that enables automatic understanding of the impact that a failure that occurs in a network will have on services, thereby shortening the time required to take action.
[0007] An impact estimation device according to one aspect of the present invention targets a network. This network is abstracted into a physical layer, a logical layer accommodating logical paths on the physical layer, and a service path layer accommodating service paths via the logical paths. The impact estimation device includes a network information storage unit, a virtual network construction unit, a network impact calculation unit, a communication path calculation unit, and a service impact calculation unit. The network information storage unit stores network information including bandwidth capacity information for each network resource and connection relationships between the network resources. The virtual network construction unit constructs a virtual network that reflects the network information. The network impact calculation unit identifies a communication interruption section that has spread to the logical layer due to a failure occurring in the network. The communication path calculation unit simulates routing when a communication interruption section is set in the virtual network and calculates a logical path to be reconfigured based on a routing protocol in the logical layer. The service impact calculation unit estimates the impact of the failure on a service that uses the service path based on the bandwidth capacity that can be secured for the reconfigured logical path.
[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that can automatically grasp the impact that a failure occurring in a network will have on services, thereby reducing the time required to take action.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of an impact estimation device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure related to construction of a virtual network. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a hierarchical structure of a network. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a modeled virtual network. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for understanding an impact on a service. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a calculated communication path. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a result of estimating an impact on a service. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a resource corresponding to a communication path.
[0010] 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of an impact estimation device according to an embodiment. The impact estimation device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a resource information registration unit 1, a network information storage unit 2, a service path information storage unit 3, a virtual network construction unit 4, a network impact calculation unit 5, a communication path calculation unit 6, and a service impact calculation unit 7.
[0011] The resource information registration unit 1 receives input of network information 10 and service path information 20 , and stores the network information 10 in the network information storage unit 2 and the service path information 20 in the service path information storage unit 3 .
[0012] The network information storage unit 2 is a database constructed using, for example, a storage area of hardware storage (HDD, SSD, etc.), and stores network information 10 of the network that is the target of processing by the influence estimation device 100. Here, the network information 10 is information that includes bandwidth capacity information for each network resource and the connection relationships between the network resources. In other words, the network information 10 includes link information between network resources and bandwidth capacity information for the network resources.
[0013] The service path information storage unit 3 is a database constructed using, for example, a storage area of a hardware storage, and stores service path information 20. Here, the service path information 20 is information including connections between service termination points and required bandwidth information for each individual service.
[0014] The virtual network construction unit 4 constructs a virtual network that reflects the network information 10. The network influence calculation unit 5 identifies a communication interruption section that occurs when a failure that occurs in the network to be managed spreads to the logical layer, based on the input failure location information 30.
[0015] The communication path calculation unit 6 sets the communication interruption section identified by the network influence calculation unit 5 in the virtual network built by the virtual network construction unit 4, and simulates routing based on a routing protocol in the logical layer. A logical path is reconfigured to bypass the communication interruption section using a routing protocol such as OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) or BGP (Border Gateway Protocol).
[0016] The service impact calculation unit 7 calculates the bandwidth capacity that can be secured for the reconfigured logical path based on the results of the simulation by the communication path calculation unit 6, based on the network information 10. Furthermore, the service impact calculation unit 7 estimates the impact of the failure on services that use the service path, based on the service path information 20, and outputs the estimated impact as a service impact 40.
[0017] 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for constructing a virtual network. In FIG. 2, the impact estimation device 100 registers resource information (step S1). In step S1, the impact estimation device 100 stores input network information 10 in the network information storage unit 2, and stores service path information 20 in the service path information storage unit 3.
[0018] Next, as a preliminary step, the influence estimation device 100 constructs a virtual network (step S2). In step S2, the influence estimation device 100 constructs a virtual network corresponding to network resources of a specific layer (for example, an IP layer) based on the network resources stored in the network information storage unit 2. Here, it is preferable to set in advance the layer on which the virtual network is to be constructed.
[0019] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a hierarchical structure of a network. The network can be abstracted into a physical layer, a logical layer that accommodates logical paths on the physical layer, and a service path layer that accommodates service paths via the logical paths. The logical layer can further include a logical device layer, an optical transmission layer, an Ether layer, and an IP layer.
[0020] The IP layer can be modeled as shown in Figure 3, where the bandwidth capacity of the link (physical layer) between Building A and Building B is assumed to be 1 Gbps. Assume that Service A and Service B are set in the service path layer via a service path that passes through a logical path on the IP layer. Here, the required bandwidth for Service A is assumed to be 0.7 Gbps, and the required bandwidth for Service B is assumed to be 0.5 Gbps.
[0021] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a modeled virtual network. A network in which the IP layer is virtualized is constructed as a model in which multiple routers are used as nodes and the nodes are connected by links.
[0022] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for grasping the impact on a service. In FIG. 5, the impact estimation device 100 calculates a communication interruption section in a network layer (e.g., IP layer) that provides a service, for example, using the technology of Patent Document 1 (step S11). That is, the impact estimation device 100 extracts network resources that are affected by the failure in a chain reaction based on link information between resources from the physical layer to the logical layer for each communication protocol.
[0023] Next, the impact estimation device 100 simulates a route for a previously constructed virtual network (e.g., an IP network) in the event of a communication interruption with the resource identified in step S11 using a routing protocol such as OSPF or BGP (step S12), thereby calculating a communication route for traffic flow between devices corresponding to the endpoints of the service.
[0024] Next, the effect estimation device 100 determines whether or not there has been a communication interruption and whether or not there is a risk of quality degradation for each service based on the calculated communication path, and identifies the effect of the failure on the service (step S13).
[0025] In step S13, if the endpoints of the services are connected via a network resource corresponding to the communication path calculated in step S12, the influence estimation device 100 determines that there is no communication interruption. If there is no connection, the influence estimation device 100 determines that there is a communication interruption.
[0026] Furthermore, in step S13, the impact estimation device 100 compares the bandwidth capacity of each network resource with the sum of the required bandwidths of all services that use that network resource as a communication path. If the sum of the required bandwidths exceeds the bandwidth capacity of the resource, the impact estimation device 100 determines that there is a bandwidth shortage and that there is a (risk of) quality degradation for all services that use that resource as a communication path. In all other cases, it determines that there is no (risk of) quality degradation. Note that a safety factor (set arbitrarily between 0 and 1) may be applied to the bandwidth capacity during the comparison.
[0027] 6 is a diagram showing an example of a communication path calculated by the simulation in step S12. When a failure occurs between building A and building B and the link is cut, the impact spreads to the IP layer. When routing in a virtual network is simulated based on the communication interruption resource in the IP layer, a new communication path is reconfigured. As a result, the path of service A (dotted line) and the path of service B (dashed dotted line) under normal conditions pass through the same section (common section) by taking a detour on the IP layer.
[0028] Since the bandwidth capacity of the detour route is 1 Gbps, the required bandwidth for Service A is 0.7 Gbps, and the required bandwidth for Service B is 0.5 Gbps, it can be seen that there will be a bandwidth shortage in the common section, resulting in a degradation of communication quality. The degradation of communication quality is indicated by a triangle (△).
[0029] 7 is a diagram showing an example of the results of estimating the impact on services. It can be seen that neither service A nor service B will experience a communication interruption, but there is a risk of a degradation in service quality.
[0030] 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of resources corresponding to communication paths. The simulation in step S12 shows that the communication path (resource) of service A and the communication path (resource) of service B pass through a common section.
[0031] As described above, in the embodiment, network information 10 including "linking information between network resources" and "bandwidth capacity information of network resources" and service path information 20 including at least "connections between service termination points" and "required bandwidth information for services" are stored in a database. Then, based on fault location information in the physical layer or logical layer, communication interruption sections in the network of each layer are identified, and the communication path for each service is calculated by simulating routing on a virtual network constructed in advance.
[0032] In other words, resources (network sections) that will experience communication interruptions due to physical or logical failures are identified, and the communication paths for each service are calculated by simulating routing on a pre-built virtual network.Furthermore, the bandwidth capacity of each network resource is compared with the total bandwidth required for services that use that network resource as a communication path, and resources that will experience bandwidth shortages are identified.
[0033] With the above configuration, it is possible to determine whether or not there is a risk of a degradation in service quality for a service that uses a resource including a failed section as a communication route. This makes it possible to automatically grasp the impact on the service and reduce the time required for the assessment. As a result, according to the embodiment, it becomes possible to automatically grasp the impact that a failure occurring in the network will have on the service, thereby shortening the time required to take action.
[0034] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combining selected elements from the disclosed elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some elements are deleted from all elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.
[0035] Furthermore, in the implementation stage, the components of this invention can be modified and embodied without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined.
[0036] 1...Resource information registration unit 2...Network information holding unit 3...Service path information holding unit 4...Virtual network construction unit 5...Network impact calculation unit 6...Communication path calculation unit 7...Service impact calculation unit 10...Network information 20...Service path information 30...Fault location information 40...Service impact 100...Impact estimation device
Claims
1. An impact estimation device for a network abstracted into a physical layer, a logical layer accommodating logical paths on the physical layer, and a service path layer accommodating service paths via the logical paths, comprising: a network information storage unit that stores network information including bandwidth capacity information for each network resource and connection relationships between the network resources; a virtual network construction unit that constructs a virtual network that reflects the network information; a network impact calculation unit that identifies communication outage sections that have spread to the logical layer due to a failure that has occurred in the network; a communication path calculation unit that simulates routing when the communication outage section is set in the virtual network and calculates a logical path that is reconfigured based on a routing protocol of the logical layer; and a service impact calculation unit that estimates the impact of the failure on a service that uses the service path based on the bandwidth capacity that can be secured for the reconfigured logical path.
2. An impact estimation device as described in claim 1, further comprising a service path information storage unit that stores service path information including required bandwidth information for each service, wherein the service impact calculation unit calculates the bandwidth capacity that can be secured for the reconfigured logical path based on the bandwidth capacity information for each network resource, and compares the sum of the required bandwidth information for service paths passing through the logical path with the available bandwidth capacity to estimate the impact of the failure for each service.
3. The influence estimation device according to claim 1, wherein the communication path calculation unit calculates the logical path based on OSPF (Open Shortest Path First).
4. The influence estimation device according to claim 1, wherein the communication path calculation unit calculates the logical path based on BGP (Border Gateway Protocol).
5. An impact estimation method for a network abstracted into a physical layer, a logical layer accommodating logical paths on the physical layer, and a service path layer accommodating service paths via the logical paths, comprising the steps of: a computer storing network information in a database, the network information including bandwidth capacity information for each network resource and the connection relationships between the network resources; a computer constructing a virtual network that reflects the network information; a computer identifying a communication interruption section that has spread to the logical layer due to a failure that has occurred in the network; a computer simulating routing when the communication interruption section is set in the virtual network, and calculating a logical path to be reset based on a routing protocol of the logical layer; and a computer estimating the impact of the failure on a service that uses the service path based on the bandwidth capacity that can be secured for the reset logical path.
6. A program for causing a computer to execute the functions of the influence estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.